You may have noticed that I never got around to the promised description of our St. Martin celebration. Time got away from me and eventually so much time had passed that it just seemed rather silly to post about it. However, fear not, I will post about St. Nicholas and as it happens, the two celebrations are fairly similar, at least at our house.

Where we live, St. Martin is traditionally celebrated by the Protestant population and St. Nicholas by the Catholics. As I am a child of a mixed-denomination family (if that is what you call it) I was always in the lucky position to get treats on both days. And who am I to deny my kids the same advantage?
When the boys were still quite little, I made each of them a small burlap bag with a picture of St. Martin/St. Nick (they look fairly similar) on it.

I remember when I was little the Saint would come when it was dark, leave the treats and knock on the door. By the time I felt brave enough to open the door (both saints carry a switch to punish misbehaving children) he would of course be gone. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to figure out a way to surreptitiously get the treats outside in the bag and knock without the boys noticing. So for now, we do an easier (though somewhat less exciting) version: The boys hang the bags outside the door the night before and the bags are magically filled by morning time.

The typical treats are candy, apples and tangerines. However, I usually put in only a couple pieces of candy and add in some other presents. This year each of the boys received a small jigsaw puzzle and a Christmas-themed picture book.

B. received The Beautiful Christmas Tree and really liked it. It tells the story of a man who moves into a rundown house and who uses loving care to turn the building and a small whithered tree he plants into something special. It is neither too long nor too difficult for a three year old and the gentle story suits his personality.

J.’s book was The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey. It tells of a gloomy woodcarver whose live has been bereft of joy since the death of his wife and child. It isn’t until a widow and her young son ask him to carve the figures for a manger scene that things change. When I first saw the book I felt a bit uncertain whether it would be right for my six-year old. The story is quite long and there is enough tragedy in the backstory that I feared J. might not care for it. However, I couldn’t have been more mistaken. He absolutely loves it. And I am truly astonished by J’s understanding of the more complex/less obvious aspects of the story. All in all, I would say this year’s St. Nicholas’ books were a big success.

Another family tradition is to make a gingerbread house on St. Nicholas. We did get one started but it isn’t finished yet. Like all great constructions it will take a while. However, today we have assembled the walls so all that is left to do is decorate it (which is of course the most important part). Hopefully, we will get to that tomorrow and I will post a picture of our creation (before the boys start sneaking the candy).

Do you know a romance lover but have no idea what book to get them for Christmas? Then read on as I share some of my all-time favorites. If on the other hand you have a weakness for romance novels yourself check to see if there is one you missed.

1. One Summer by Karen Robards

A classic romantic suspense novel with a bit of a supernatural touch thrown in. When the heroine’s former student is released from prison after serving time for murdering his former girlfriend she is the only one willing to help him. But what will everyone think about her budding relationship to a presumed murderer? And more important, was he really the killer?

2. Heaven, Texas by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

A great book! Like almost all of Susan Elizabeth Phillips’ books one of my favorites. Sensible Gracie is determined to start a new life and the first step towards her goal is to escort recalcitrant ex-football player Bobby Tom Denton towards his home-town where he is slated to star in a movie. Is she out of her league? Very funny.

3. Flowers from the Storm by Laura Kinsale

A historical romance it truly transcends the genre. The Duke of Jervaux is a well-known rake but few know that he is also a brilliant mathematician. His life changes dramatically when he suffers a stroke (yep, in a romance novel). No longer able to speak, he is sent to a lunatic asylum. Quaker friend Maddy is the only one who sees behind his bizarre behaviour and determines to help him. But can she succeed?

4. The Saving Graces by Patricia Gaffney

The story of four women who meet regularly in a women’s group. Best friends, they still struggle with jealousy and occasional pettiness. Then life becomes even more difficult: One of the group struggles with her inability to conceive, a second member has to finally face the true nature of her manipulative husband, a third woman falls deeply in love with a married man and the last of the friends is diagnosed with a potentially fatal disease. Will these challenges destroy them or will their friendship endure?

5. The Unsung Hero by Suzanne Brockmann

The first book in the Troubleshooters Series (you know how I love series books!) tells the story of Navy SEAL Tom Paoletti who finds love while struggling to track down a terrorist. The book also tells a secondary story set during the second World War. A good book both for fans of suspense/thrillers as well as for those interested in history.

6. Welcome to Temptation by Jennifer Crusie

A funny and entertaining book about two sisters filming a soft porn movie in a sleepy town. One of the sisters falls in love with the town’s upstanding mayor and a dead body adds to the excitement. A bit racy and hilarious.

7. The Four Seasons by Mary Alice Monroe

The three older Season sisters have never gotten over the accident that permanently disabled their youngest sister. Now, with Merry Season’s death, they finally have to face the secrets that have been kept for over twenty years. Will they finally be able to move on?

8. Daring to Dream by Nora Roberts

Nora Roberts is certainly one of the most popular and well-known romance authors and her Dreams Trilogy is one of my most favorites. In the first installment, Margo Sullivan, the housekeeper’s daughter who has made good returns to California when her world is shattered. Can she turn her life around with the help of her best friends?

9. Trust Me by Jayne Ann Krenzt

An entertaining easy read like many of Jayne Ann Krentz’s books. Desdemona Wainwright is hired to cater a businessman’s wedding but the groom is left at the altar. This turns into a piece of good luck as he then hires Desdemona to cater for his company and serve as his hostess. Soon their relationship turns into love but there are plenty of complications to keep the reader entertained.

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Last week I posted some ideas on books that might make good Christmas gifts for kids. So I figured I would follow it up with a post on grown-up books.
I have to admit that my reading taste runs to the fairly mundane. Don’t get me wrong, I can read a highly respected novel and do a first rate discussion on it (my English teachers loved me) but it just isn’t something I would do for pleasure. Largely, I think, because I really hate it if there is no happy-end. And the more worthwhile a book is, the less likely is it to have a truly happy end in my experience. Not sure what that says about life in general.
I am hoping that one day my taste will change to truly appreciate great literature. However, in the meantime I would choose a good romance or exciting mystery any day.
Here just a quick run-down: As you may remember if you read my post about Children’s books, I have a thing for series. The books on this list are mysteries I truly enjoyed but tastes are different so if you buy one of these and hate it: Don’t sue me! I nixed a couple of books that I love but that are not currently available. I mean, what’s the point of a Christmas gift idea that you can’t easily get?

If you are a true mystery buff there might be a book on my list that you missed. But as most of these books are fairly well-known, my recommendations will probably serve you best if mysteries are not your regular fare but you need one for a present. Instead of standing in front of rows and rows of books at your local bookstore without any idea which one to choose, you could use this list for a starting -point.

Old Favorites

1. Devil’s Waltz by Jonathan Kellerman

This is an early (though not the first) entry in the Dr. Alex Delaware series that I really enjoyed. This series features a child psychologist who gets involved in various crime investigations either through his job or through his friendship with gay police officer Milo Sturgis. In this specific book Alex is confronted by the mystery of a little girl whose constant mysterious illnesses give rise to the suspicion that they are caused on purpose. Throw in some brutal killings and various dark family secrets and you have a thrilling read.

2. The Dark Room by Minette Walters

A young woman awakens with part of her memory missing after an alleged suicide attempt. Her best friend and her fiancé have been murdered and she is the prime suspect. But did she really try to kill herself? And how can she defend herself of a murder charge if she doesn’t remember anything that happened?

3. The Crime at Black Dudley by Margery Allingham

The first book in the Albert Campion mystery series, this book is quite different from the last two books on my list. An older book set after the First World War in England, it features Albert Campion, a mild-mannered sleuth with a brilliant mind. During a weekend house party (is there anything more nostalgic British?) the host is murdered and the entire group of houseguests is held hostage by group of thugs. One of the most entertaining aspects of this book for me is the picture of a different era that it paints (yes, of course I realize that life in 1920s England wasn’t all about fancy parties, spies and daring - but still).

4. A Man to Die For by Eileen Dreyer

One of my all-time favorite mystery novels. Trauma nurse Casey McDonogh has enough personal problems of her own. So she really doesn’t need the extra stress of being the only one to realize that the adored new obstetrician working at the hospital is a real psychopath. When people start turning up dead she has no other option than to take her suspicions to the police. But can she convince them that the respected doctor is a serial killer? A great read!

5. Artists in Crime by Ngaio Marsh

Ngaio Marsh is one of the grande dames of mystery and I have very much enjoyed her Roderick Alleyn series. This is another book that enchants with the portrayal of society in a different age (Okay, I’ll admit I have a bit of a weakness for stories about aristocratic sleuths in the early part of the last century. And the only reason that Dorothy Sayer’s Lord Peter Wimsey didn’t make it on this list is that I figure EVERYONE has read those books.) Another plus, at least for me, is that this novel is the one where Roderick Alleyn first meets Troy, his future wife, and their courtship begins. Actually, Troy is not instantly enamored by him and the fact that one of the models in her painting studio gets murdered and Roderick is sent to investigate further complicates their relationship. A great book for anyone who enjoys old-fashioned detective novels.

6. Cry Wolf by Tami Hoag

After a shattering divorce that leaves her life in shambles, Elizabeth Stuart and her son move to a small town in Minnesota. The idyllic peace of the Amish farmlands is shattered when dead bodies start to turn up. And who would have expected the sparks that fly between Elizabeth and the local sheriff? A romantic suspence with emphasis on the love/relationship between the protagonists this is definitely a good read.

7. Track of the Cat by Nevada Barr

The first of the Anna Pigeon novels is set in the wilderness of West Texas. Anna works as a ranger for the National Park Service. On a hike through the dry canyons her enjoyment of nature is abruptly interruped when she finds a dead woman. Even worse, Anna is soon convinced that the death is only faked to look like it was caused by a mountain lion. Is there a murderer loose in the wilderness?

Books on my Wishlist

The following books I have NOT read. Still, based on reviews and my knowledge of the author I feel pretty confident in recommending them. Actually, these are all books that I am hoping to get for Christmas myself. If you are looking for a present for some mystery buff and don’t have any idea what is already on their bookshelves, it may be best to go with a new book to improve your chances of getting one they don’t yet have.
1. Strangers in Death by J.D. Robb

I have read all of the entries in J.D. Robb’s (who is even better known as romance writer Nora Roberts) Eve Dallas series and have pretty much enjoyed them all. The series is set in future day (2060) New York City and tells the story of a hard-nosed cop, her crook-turned-billionaire husband and the latest crime sprees. In this installment a business man turns up dead, apparently the victim of some kinky sex. But is that really the case or is there another motive behind the crime? While the mystery aspect of this series is generally enjoyable, it really is the relationship between Eve and her husband (as well as their interesting collection of friends) that make the book so fun.

2. Laughter of Dead Kings by Elizabeth Peters

Though I am a great fan of the Amelia Peabody series by this author set in historical Egypt, it is really the Vicky Bliss series that I like best. I loved “Nighttrain to Memphis” and have been waiting for the next book in the series forever (it HAS been 14 years!). Vicky is an art historian with an on-again/off-again relationship with John, a (fairly nice) art thief. Even though John has given up his life of crime, he is the prime suspect when King Tut’s mummy is stolen. I can’t wait to see what Vicky and John are up to this time and it sounds like they will once again travel to Egypt, a big bonus for me as I have always been fascinated by that country and its history.

3. Crouching Buzzard, Leaping Loon by Donna Andrews

I actually have just started reading the books in this series and this fourth installment is next on my list (if you are looking for the newest one though, you should get Six Geese A-Slaying ). This time the heroine’s brother is suspected of murder and it is up to her to find the real culprit. What sets the Meg Langslow series apart (other than the bird theme) is that they are really funny and wacky. If you are looking for a mystery that will also make you laugh, this should be a good bet!

I hope you found a book here that sounds interesting. As I was getting the links from Amazon.com I noted that they have a special promotion where you basically get four qualifying paperbacks for the price of three. Several of the books on my list qualified (that’s how I even found out about the promotion). So if you are a voracious reader like me, that might be a promotion to check out!

Last week I promised some more recommendations for children’s books that would make good Christmas presents. It has taken me a while, since I have been very busy (attending class five mornings a week in town really takes up a large amount of my time right now), but I am finally ready to deliver on that promise.

Books for early readers

1. Dr. Seuss Books

No big surprise here. And, yes, I know my book recommendation run towards the traditional. But the fact is, that those books are so well-know for a reason. And no matter how well known, we do not always think of them when it is time to buy the presents.
By all accounts, the easiest of the Dr. Seuss books for beginning readers is
Hop on Pop Book & CD (Dr. Seuss). We do not have that one (yet) but I am thinking of getting it. J’s favorite is The Lorax however that might not be the easiest one to read. Two good choices that we enjoy a lot are Green Eggs and Ham
and The Cat in the Hat. These are all entertaining books that I think should be fairly easy to read (I think J. is almost there to read those by himself!).

2. A Fish Out of Water

Another easy-reader that we truly enjoy. It is the story of a little boy who ignores the pet store owner’s advise and feeds his fish too much (which little boy wouldn’t). To his despair, that generosity makes the fish grow and grow and grow and grow. The fish even grows too big to fit in the bathtub. Can the police and fire department help or is all lost?

3. Frog and Toad Are Friends

Gentle, easy to read stories about two friends who have various adventures. We have this book, but I have never read it to the boys because I am hoping that curiousity about the story might provide some motivation for J. to read it by himself. However, I do like the book myself and hopefully, so will he.

4. Amelia Bedelia

Okay, not only do I enjoy classic children’s books, but I also have a thing for series. Call me lazy but it is just so convenient to have a whole bunch of similar books available if you discover one you really like. There are a whole bunch of Amelia Bedelia books available (I have only seen the first one myself though) so you won’t run out of reading material if you enjoy these books. This book is easy to read and entertaining because of the literal-minded Amelia who does EXACTLY what she is told to.

Books for Kids who read well

1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

Probably there is no one out there who DOESN’t have this book but it is still worth a recommendation. I will pass on giving a summary as it is unlikely that you don’t know the story yet. Some of the later Harry Potter books were a bit dark and scary for me personally and I definitely wouldn’t recommend them for younger children. But the first book in the series should be fine for most kids even though it is very exciting. This is the perfect book to motivate a reluctant reader!

2. Magic Tree House

Another series par excellence that will provide reading material for the longest time. I have to admit that we do not yet have a single book of the series (They are on my to-buy-for-Christmas-list though). However, I am a frequent reader of various message boards and it seems that this series is almost universally liked.

3. The Magic School Bus Lost In The Solar System

Another series. However, we DO have many of these books and my boys LOVE them. They are some of the most popular books in our house. The wacky adventures of Ms. Frizzle and her magic school bus (that will turn into anything from a lizard to a rocket to a time machine) are loads of fun - and educational to boot. Many science topics are covered (body, dinos, space, ocean, electricity etc.) so no matter your child’s interest there should be one available to cover it. There are also several Ms. Frizzle books about history (we enjoy the castle one a lot) and chapter books (something I will have to look into). If you know a child with an interest in science you can’t go wrong with one of these books.

4. Samantha: An American Girl

I’ve read these books years ago and really enjoyed them. There are several titles available for each of a number of girls. Each girl lives at a specific time in American history and her life is (more or less) typical of that era. These books probably appeal more to girls because of the main characters, so I am not sure if I will get them for my boys. However, they are a great choice for any little girl on your Christmas list.

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Being a book worm myself, I can’t think of a better gift than books, books, books. Even if you or your kids are not quite as enamored by reading as I was (and am), a book is still a nice, not too expensive gift. So I thought I would write a couple of posts with recommendations for books. Most of these books we actually own. Some of them we might not have but have heard lots of good things about.

Let’s start with books for the little ones:

Board Books

1. Rabbit’s Nap

This is a lift-the-flap book that my little one loves! Bunny is tired, but everyone is too noisy (something my kids can identify with) to let him sleep. Will he ever find a place to take his nap in peace? This is actually part of a series, so if you like the book there are more you can get.

2. Guess How Much I Love You

Pretty much everyone knows this story of little nutbrown hare who tells big nutbrown hare how much he loves him only to learn in return that his father’s love is even greater. Still, if you do not own this book yet it is a great one to snuggle up with.

3. My First Word Board Book

A dictionary-like first word book with the crisp, brightly colored photographs you would expect from DK. This too is one in a series. There are similar books about animals, vehicles etc. Great for toddlers to look at, point at and increase their vocabulary.

4. Goodnight Moon

Another classic. I do like the rhytmic text, the rhymes and the slowing down of activity in this book. A good choice for a bedtime story.

Picture Books

1. What Do People Do All Day?

My boys are great fans of Richard Scarry’s books. I would have to say they are probably their all time favorites. I can’t tell you how often I had to read them the story of Abby Bunny’s trip to the hospital, Building a new road or Baking Bread (and no - adding oodles of yeast won’t really puff your bread up to the size of a truck - we’ve tried!).
My 3-year old is really into firefighters at the moment. Maybe because we visited the fire department’s open house recently where they (the firefighters not my kids) proceeded to lift a car over 40 feet up into the air, let it fall down with a loud caboom, dismantled it and then set fire to it, causing tremendously stinky black smoke. Anyway, we have read Huckle’s rescue by the daring firefighters many times lately.
Anyway, for those of you not familiar with the stories, Scarry depicts anthropomorphic animals (which may not be to every adult’s taste but are generally loved by kids) doing everyday jobs in fairly small detail. They are fun books, especially for little boys who are interested in how things work. Other books by the same author that are popular in our house are Busy, busy Town, Best Storybook Ever, and Day at the Airport.

2. The Quiltmaker's Gift

This book tells the story of a quiltmaker who makes the most gorgeous quilts and a greedy king who craves one of her creations. The quiltmaker does not sell her quilts though, but only gives it to those in need. What will happen when all the king’s threats do not change her mind? I love the illustrations in this book. They are very detailed and there is always something new to discover (which my boys love). I also enjoy the quilting theme as I used to do some quilting myself (before I had kids that is). One of the favorite books of my six-year old. Our copy is getting so worn that I am actually considering buying a new one.

3. Tikki Tikki Tembo

Another classic. In accordance to Chinese tradition the older boy in a family has a very long name while his brother is called Chang. But when an accident happens the long name causes great difficulties. I have to admit, the main reason I love this book is that name. What could be more fun than reading about Tikki Tikki Tembo-No Sa Rembo-Chari Bari Ruchi-Pip Peri Pembo?

4. Corduroy

Maybe it is a bit sappy, but I love this book. The little teddy baer is so cute and I love the way he braves the unknown parts of the store to look for his lost button. For me, this is just one of those “feel good” books that we all enjoy.

This post is getting a bit long (and here it is getting quite late). I will write a second post soon on Children’s Books for older kids that would make good Christmas gifts.

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Well, it is almost Saturday. The other day I designated Saturday as my official Christmas-Topic-Post-Day. You may remember that I picked Saturday arbitrarily, and I have to say that right about now I wish I had chosen a different day, any other day. I may have mentioned before that I have a slight (yeah, right) tendency to procrastinate. In any case, Saturday is about here. Not only have I not yet written a Christmas post, but I am also short on a good idea for one right now let alone time to research it.
Still, I do want to stick to my plans at least for a bit (and after all this is the FIRST week so how inefficient would it be to miss it already), so I decided to at least share a neat website for kids with you that I discovered the other day. Seussville offers a bunch of games, coloring pages, crafts and activities connected to the various Dr. Seuss books. What does that have to do with Christmas, you wonder? Well, they have some pages about How the Grinch stole Christmas which J. really loved. He especially enjoyed coloring in the Grinch and Whoville Christmas ornaments.

Actually, he was so prolific (going through four or five copies of the ornaments) that I fear we will need a second Christmas tree just for the kids’ ornaments if he keeps this up. I am generally not a great fan of coloring activities, but J. enjoyed it and there were some other fun activities at the website. And let’s face it, as the holiday season approaches and we get busier and busier any fun and creative activity that will keep the kids occupied for a while is welcome.

Growing up with two languages poses special challenges, and I am always looking for good resources and interesting things to help the boys feel comfortable with both languages. Actually, I am not so concerned about German, as they have plenty of input at school, but providing enough material in English is not always easy.
When I was a teenager it was a major production to get an English book. You had to first special-order it (which was only possible if it was on a fairly narrow list) and then wait for a couple of months. It was such a long and difficult process that you basically just bought whatever the store happened to have on hand. With the advent of the internet this has gotten a lot easier.
Still, it is not always easy to find the right materials even now. One of the presents I got for my first grader’s I-am-finally-at-school cone was a subscription for a children’s magazine. I spend a fair amount of time on various parenting message boards (maybe I should clean my kitchen instead?), and have always heard great reviews of Cricket magazines. So we went ahead and ordered a subscription for Spider magazine and just received the first issue. We have really enjoyed it and my son has asked me to read some of the stories several times. He also enjoyed the cut-out (not surprising as he likes anything you can cut out and glue or stapel) and even did the children’s crossword puzzles. We are eagerly waiting for the next edition!

Fall is still in the air and we are not done with our apple project yet. Today we went to Grandpa’s garden to pick apples. Unfortunately, there weren’t that many apples this year (presumably for the same reason as the dearth of plums?). Still, there were plenty for two little boys to pick (and what could be better than being told to climb up on the trees?).

Picking apples (or harvesting anything for that matter) is a great activity for the whole family to enjoy together. Not only does it help the kids to get a better understanding of where food comes from, but it is also plain fun. If you don’t have a garden (or at least none with apple trees), don’t despair. There are plenty of farms around that will let you choose and pick your own apples. Just be prepared for quite a crowd if you go during a sunny Sunday afternoon! Of course, this is also a great activity for Family Moment Monday.

We used our apples to bake a tasty apple pie:

Ingredients:

• Pastry dough for 9-inch pie
• 4 to 5 medium apples
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 11/2 TB flour
• cinnamon and nutmeg to taste
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup ground almonds
• 1/3 cup butter
• 3/4 cup sugar

Preparation:

1. Peel apples and cut into small pieces. Mix 1/2 cup sugar, 11/2 TB flour and spices together. Mix in apple pieces and raisins and toss until fruit is coated with flour-sugar mixture.
2. Roll out pastry dough and line pie plate with it. Fill in apple mixture.
3. Use 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 cup ground almonds, 3/4 cups sugar and 1/3 cups butter to make a crumble and spread it on top of pie.
4. Bake 50 minutes to a hour at 375° until filling is bubbly.

We used another apple-themed book for read-aloud today. Somewhat to my surprise, The Seasons of Arnold’s Apple Tree is a favorite at our house. Personally, I am not a hundred percent crazy about the illustrations. Probably because I am a fan of very detailed pictures (like you see in our book about Johnny Appleseed). By comparison, Arnold’s Apple Tree has very simple illustrations. However, it is a great book to talk about the changes in nature that take place over the course of a year (The tree blooms in the spring, carries fruit, is harvested, looses its leaves and lives through a snowy winter). It also gives lots of fun ideas for things to do with apple trees (and apples, of course): Apple pie, apple cider, decorating apples, playing with apples, building a tree house etc.). Definitely a good book to use for any sort of apple project!

I have noticed that my boys tend to like those books best that we have used as basis for some special project or activity.

They love Three Billy Goats Gruff. This traditional folktale tells the story of three brother goats who want to cross a bridge which is barred by a hungry troll. We build a bridge out of cushions, chairs etc. and reenact the story. It is one of their favorite activities (especially the part where they get to push the mama troll off the bridge into the water).

They also hugely enjoy Ox-Cart Man, the story of a farmer of the past who travels to town in order to sell all the surplus his family has grown or made in the course of a year. We build up a pretend cart and load it with all the products mentioned in the story (guess who has to turn the house upside down to find a good replica of wooden shingles and goose feathers?). After dragging the cart around a bit, a makeshift store is set up and all the products are sold to customers (at least that way I get my broom back!).

We used salt-dough to make dozens of small cats to re-play Millions of Cats, the story of a man who takes a long trip to find the most beautiful cat of all. When he can not decide which of the millions and billions and trillions of cats he finds is the prettiest, he just takes them all. But what will his wife say to that?

One of our all-time favorites is The Three Little Pigs. We have played it with small figurine pigs as well as by building little “houses” for ourselves. What could be more fun than shouting “then I’ll huff and I’ll puff and I’ll blow your house in”? Well, actually saying “not by the hair of our chinny chin chins” is even more fun!

But yesterday the boys chose another book for their dramatic play. Caps for Sale is a simple story of a peddler whose merchandise, a bunch of caps, is taken by some monkeys while he takes a nap. My little one was the peddler while big brother played the mischievous monkeys. They sure had a good time!

The peddler with all the caps still on his head

If you are one of the lucky moms whose children are busy playing all day without any interference from you, I envy you. At our house, these times are few and far between. Generally, my kids require my help in organizing their activities. Now, with the boys’ preschool closed for three weeks, my entertainment skills are once again called to the fore.

We usually try to work on a project or two during vacation times. The purpose of these projects isn’t so much to learn things (although of course that is a nice side effect) but mostly just to keep them happily entertained. This summer, we have decided to do an Africa project, and today we finally got started.

We own several picture books with an African theme, and today we kicked off our project by reading Anansi the Spider. It’s an Ashanti tale about the famous trickster, spider Anansi, and his family. Anansi gets into trouble (or what would you call getting swallowed by a fish?) and his five sons, each of which has a special skill, rush to his rescue. With its clear design, bold colors and unusual style, it is quite a departure from the majority of books. The boys liked it okay, but weren’t truly excited by it. I think the style might have been a bit too different for their taste. However, for an introduction to our project it served quite well.

Then we did a fun craft activity for an “African” wallhanging.
The instructions are fairly simple:

1. Cut a piece of burlap into an appropriate size, making sure that you cut off any selvage edges.
2. Choose threads to pull out on the sides and create spaces where only vertical threads remain (Sorry, I know that isn’t the best explanation. But take a look at the picture below and you’ll know what I mean)
3. Then use various pieces of colored yarn to knot bunches of threads together in those places where you removed the horizontal threads
4. When you are happy with the look - or tired of tying knots - attach the cloth to a rod (we just used a twig the boys had dragged home) with tape and tie on a longer piece of yarn to hang it up with

Here is what it looks like:

The wallhanging Benjamin made with some help from me

I liked this craft project for several reasons:

• You don’t need a lot of expensive/hard-to-get materials
• It is really easy. Even little ones can do it (though they may need help with the knotting), while older children can complete it with minimal help. Ben pulled out the strings himself and chose which color yarn to use.
• It’s a great outlet for all those kids that have just learned how to tie knots and are now tying little pieces of string all over the house

I got the idea for this wallhanging from a great book we have, Global Art by MaryAnn F. Kohl. We have several books by this author, and I use them often with the boys. I am not too crazy about cookie-cutter crafts and really appreciate the emphasis on experimentation and enjoyment of the process instead of on the finished product. Ms. Kohl’s ideas really fit with my parenting philosophy.